Fruit Crops Edition

Seasonal updates on diseases, insects, weeds impacting tree fruit and small fruit (blueberry, cranberry, and wine grape). Fruit Pest Alerts are also available via this category feed.
 
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South Jersey Commercial Fruit Growers Meeting

Venue:         RCE of Gloucester County
               254 County House Rd, Clarksboro, NJ 08020
Date:          March 5, 2026 (Thu)        
Registration:  Pre-registration required. Please call (856) 224 – 8030 or Email: jmedany@co.gloucester.nj.us
               $20 per person. Checks only. Payable to Rutgers University.

Pesticide Credits: CORE,PP2, 10, 1A
PROGRAM

08:30 am   Registration and Coffee and pastries
08:50 am   Welcome and Opening Remarks. Hemant Gohil, Rutgers NJAES
09:00 am   Ambrosia Beetle Management in the Apple. Monique Rivera, Cornell University.
09:30 am   Woolly Apple Aphid Management in Apple. Monique Rivera, Cornell University.
10:00 am   Introducing Dr. Nancy Sharma, new Extension Specialist, Fruit Pathology, Rutgers Uni.

10:15 am   Coffee Break

10:30 am   Industry Updates  
10:45 am   Current Trends in Tree Fruit Pest Management. Janine Spies, Rutgers NJAES
11:15 am   Pesticide Safety Update: Exposure, ​Recordkeeping, and Storage. Kate Brown, Rutgers NJAES.
11:45 pm   From Field to Current – Harnessing Electricity for Sustainable Weed Control. Thierry Besancon, Rutgers NJAES.

12:15 pm   Lunch 

1:00 pm    Mycorrhizae Products that Enhance the Root Systems of Young Apple Trees. Megan Muehlbauer, Rutgers NJAES
1:30 pm    Updates and Recommendations for Scale Management. Anne Nielsen, Rutgers NJAES
2:00 pm    Peach Varieties Comparisons – New and Standard. Hemant Gohil and Daniel Ward, Rutgers NJAES.
2:30 pm    Grower Open Forum and Pesticide recertification credits
           Adjourn 

For questions, please get in touch with Hemant Gohil at 856-418-6538 or email at gohil@njaes.rutgers.edu

Farm Safety Needs Assessment

The Rutgers Farm Health and Safety Working Group is conducting a survey to evaluate the priority needs of New Jersey farmers for training and resource development related to safety and health.  As a New Jersey farmer, you are invited to complete this survey. Click here to access the survey and learn more.  [Read more…]

SAVE THE DATE: Sprayer Equipment Calibration Workshops for Specialty Crop Growers March 24 & 25

 

North Jersey Equipment Calibration Grower Meeting

March 24, 2026

3:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Clifford E. & Melda C. Snyder Research & Extension Farm

New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station

140 Locust Grove Road

Pittstown, NJ

 

South Jersey Equipment Calibration Grower Meeting

March 25, 2026

3:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Rutgers Agricultural Research & Extension Center

121 Northville Road

Bridgeton, NJ

 

Agenda, Registration and Pesticide Credits will be announced shortly.

 

RU-N Seeks to Buy Produce, Dairy, Meat, and Eggs from Female Farmers

Rutgers-Newark (RU-N) seeks to purchase fruits, vegetables, dairy, eggs, and meat from women-owned farms in New Jersey. Pick-up is available and all women-owned/operated farms located in NJ are eligible. The deadline is almost here! Interested farmers are asked to complete the interest form by Wednesday, February 4, 2026.  [Read more…]

SAVE THE DATE: North Jersey Commercial Vegetable & Fruit Growers Meetings

NORTH JERSEY COMMERCIAL

VEGETABLE GROWERS MEETING

February 25, 2026

8:30 am – 3:30 pm

Hunterdon County Complex

314 State Rt. 12, Building #1

Flemington, NJ

 

 

 

NORTH JERSEY COMMERCIAL

FRUIT GROWERS MEETING

March 4, 2026

8:30 am – 3:30 pm

Hunterdon County Complex

314 State Rt. 12, Building #1

Flemington, NJ

 

Program Details and Pesticide Credits are Forthcoming

Salem County Pesticide Safety Meeting – Pesticide Credits Available – February 20, 2026 – Woodstown

Salem County Pesticide Safety Meeting

February 20, 2026
51 Cheney Rd., Woodstown, NJ

To register for morning, afternoon, or both
856-769-0090
molly.english@salemcountynj.gov

Link to PDF

Morning Session: 9 am – Noon.  Credits: | CORE: 01 | 1A: 02 | 1B: 01 | 10: 03 | PP2: 02 |
Farmland Preservation in Salem County State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) staff
Pesticide Safety, Storage, Labels, Application Raman Sharma, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Disease Control in Vegetable Crops Andy Wyenandt, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Early Season Pest Management in No-till Corn Maria Cramer, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Animal Agricultural Pest Control Hassan Warriach, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
USDA Program Updates USDA – NRCS / FSA staff
Afternoon Session: 1 pm – 4:30 pm.  Credits: | 1A: 03 | 10: 03 | PP2: 03 |
Weed Control in Pastures and Forages Matthew Elmore, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Corn Fertility for Yield and Quality Raman Sharma, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Commodity Market Outlook Nathaniel Bruce, Delaware Cooperative Extension
Agricultural Safety and Emergency Response Robert DiGregorio, Salem County Sheriff Office
Agrivoltaics Dan Ward, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Forage Quality of Hay and Silage Tess Stahl, Rutgers Cooperative Extension